Wheel guard for vehicles



B. HOWARD. WHEEL GUARD FOR VEHICLES. AAAAAAAAA oN r'11Eu1uNEs.192o.1,412,524. Patented Apr. 11, 1922. 2 S EEEEEEEEEEE l.

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WHEEL GUARD FOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED :uns 5,1920.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

s Ers E F 2 SH ET 2 UNITED i STATES PATENT, orifice.

BENJAMIN HOWARD, OF HANWELL, ENGLAND,ASSIGNOR TO THE LONDON GENERALOMNIBUS COMPANY LIMITED, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND.

WHEEL GUARD FOR VEHICLES.

Speeicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

Application ined June 5, ieee. serial No. 325,729.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS 0F THE .ACT GF MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. L.,1313.)

T 0 all whom t may conce/m Be it known that I, BENJAMIN HOWARD, asubject ot the King of England, residing at Hanwell, Middlesex,England,k have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WheelGuards for Vehicles, (for which on May 12, 1914i-, I iiled applicationNo. 11,741 for British patent,) ot which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to wheel-guards :tor vehicles its object being toprovide an improved construction of Such device, which shall be simpleand efficient. A common fault with devices of this kind, such as havehitherto been proposed, has been the tendency to pin an obstacle ofsmall height, such for example as an arm or hand to the ground thusinvolving a person in injury to a limb even though the body of theperson be protected.

It has many times been proposed to provide a buit'er-rail in front ofthe wheels ot' a vehicle such rail being supported by mechanism so thatwhen the forward part of the rail or some member operatively connectedtherewith is struck, the rail drops on to the road or low enough toprevent any object from passing beneath it. Further, it has beenproposed to provide such butterrails with an inflatable tube at thefront to constitute a cushion-device.

-It will be appreciated that where a device has to be dropped by theimpact of, say, a person knocked down by the vehicle, a limb or somepart ot the body of such person is likely to be pinned beneath thewheel-guard, in which case t-he wheel-guard may do considerable damageitselt by riding up over theolimb and even over the body of the personand it may thus be rendered practically inoperative. Y l

Fixed buffer-rails have been proposed with or without pneumatic or othercushioning devices, but it is not practicable to have these fixed so lowas to prevent the hand or a limb ot a person knocked down, from gettingbeneath them, with the result that considerable damage may be done tothe limb, and vmoreover, the limb thus being pinned down, the body ofthe person may be swung round against the vehicle.

The object of the present invention is to provide an impact-device,hereinafter re- Jrerred to as a cushion, in trent of the wheels, whichdoes not depend upon anj,vv drop action, is high enough from the roadclear the same, but low enough and so constructed that when it strikesan object it will yieldingly close up the space between it and the road.

According to this invention the wheelguard comprises a fixed supportwhereon is mounted an impact-cushion of flexible and resilient material(tor example a fabric built up of alternate layers of rubber and canvas)having its lower tace towards 'and near the road and being connected tothe support tore and at't (tor example by upwardly-directedcontinuations et the same material) Vand so constructed that it isreadily deformable dmvnwardl;-V along a line at right angles tothodirection otrtravel by impact against the iront ot the cushion, theproportions ot vthe defer liable parts oit' the cushion being suchrelatively to the distance of the under-'tace of the same trom the roadthat when the impact against the front ot the cushion takes place, Athesaid tace is driven downwards in the form o't a ifiexible :told `ortongue whose lower edge approximately makes contact with the road iorthe purpose above described.

Preferably the impact-device is in the form ot a loop or tube which isdownwardly and 'forwardly directed from its support, the under-side ot'such tube constituting the aforesaid downwardly deformable face, thecross-sectional diameter of the loop or tube and the stout-ness oit thematerial composing the same, being such as to operate in the mannerpreviously described.

there a tube is employed, a backingplate may be provided on the supportwhich extends from a point about halt-way up the, tube, whose throughwaylies horizontally at right-angles to the direction of tr vel ot thevehicle` to a point near the top ot the tube. A rigi backing is thusprovideffl for the rearward and upper portion ot' the tuhe which thebetter ensures the desired action of the tube.

A number of short sections oi. tube may be used placed end-to-end,and,if desired, spaced apart across the front of the vehicle Y thewheel.

or any part where it is desired to apply the invention. Y

Means may be provided for adjusting the height 01"' the impact-devicefrom the road.

VConveniently the under-tace oi the iinpact-device may be formed of, orprovided with, india-rubber or other Jr'riction-producing material, sothat upon contact with an obstacle of too small a height to strike theimpact-face ott the device properly, such as the hand of a person, thefriction with the obstacle will carry the latter alongl over the roadwayfree from serious injury.

ln the acconipanying?` drawings:-

,Figure l is ay vl'ront elevation oil a lite `Aguard device constructeilaccording to one method of carrying;` out this invention; y

Figure 2 is a plan olthe same;

Figure 3 is a` detail section on line 'S--l of Figure 2;

Figure l is a detail showing` the attach- Vnient oit the wheel guards tothe traine;

Figure 5 shows a plan olf a. iuodilication ot' the construction of aportion Yshown in Figures 1 and 2;

Y Figures G and i are elevation and plan respectively of a modihcationshowing' an application of this invention to a rear whe el; and

Figure 8 is a side view of a device constructed according to the presentinvention as appliedA for use between the front and rear wheels of avehicle.y Y VThe sanne reference characters indicate the same parts inall the gures.

A wheel-guard is provided for each front wheel and turns with it in itsturning` movements. This wheel-guard comprises a G- shaped supporting`bracket A having an external stillening rib A1, which is mounted to turnupon the pivot-pin A2 about which the front wheel turns. The b aeket isso shaped aste engage this pin at both its upper and lower ends and soworks firmly and easily thereon. To the rib A1 ot the bracket A isbolted a wood and steel 'framework or shield A3 which extends forwardlyfrom the bracket inside the wheel and outwardly in- 'liront or rlhelower edge A* ot' the shield A3 is arranged close to the ground, audcarries an impact-receiving` cushion as hereinafter described. ln ordert-hat vthe two shields A3 may turnabout the pivots fig in unison.withthe steering movements ott the wheels, the brackets A have reaiwvarde.;- tensions A5 which carry studs A engaged by lugs A7 on the steeringmechanism olf' the front wheels. This steeringmechanism is of the usualkind and comprises two levers C and C1 each secured to the axle otono etthe front wheels and connected together by a cross-bar C2. The lugs A7are mounted on the levers@ and C1 and are nearer the eentre of thevehicle than the studs A6, so that they can act upon the studs A6 andextensions A5 ,ses

to push thein outwardly troni the centre. Such an .action of coursemoves 'the shields A and attz-iched parts of the wheelguard inwardly.The extensions All are drawn together and held against the lugs A7 bythe spring connected to each or' theih by rods r't. is previouslystated, the shields A are bent outwardly at their forward ends in frontofthe front wheels, and it will be readily understood that if one ofthese snields should strike any obstacle, such as a curb-stone, thespring A3 permits it to yield inwardly, turning about thepivot A2independent-ly oi the wheel, but normally Vthe lugs Riton the steering'mechanism cause Vthe shields to turn in unison with the steeringmovements ot the wheels.

rIhoshields are carried downwards close to the ground and rearwardlybetween The under-tace P5, Figure 3, of the cush- 1 ion curvesdownwardly towards the road so i' that it has a bias in that directionwhen Ythe face B strikes an obstacle, and the fact that thepartsV B4, beviewed as a loop or tube which projects' forwardly and down'- wardlyfrom rthe plate B3,- tendstoincrease l the downward movement of thepart] when the part B1 is struck.

it will be seen that the throughway ci the forward end of the tube B ishorizontal and at right-'angles to the direction of travel. The tube isexten-fled down the side acesot the edges .A4 of the shields A Vwhereits throughway is not at right-angles Yto the direction of travel, Ybutit is not4 y when thus placedv obliipiely to the direction of travel. iksuitable construction ol"V the cushion has been found to be a hose aboutT inches in external diameter formed oi' about 'T-ply cai'lvasaiidrubber alternately with a total thickness of wall of abtnitA tlu'e-ouar-'ters of an inch. The lower edge oit the cushion may be aboutthree-quarters of an Yinch troni the ground level, but this distance mayso ellfective Y be slightly increased 0r diminishedV as de Y Y sired.V YY Y ln order to protect the cushion Yfrom wear byaceidental contact witha road :surface or objects thereon, Vit may be provided with a singlerow of steel studs, but care must be taken to place these so that theydo not interfere with the' frietional action between the cushion andanobstacle of'small height.

vided secured to the cross-member D of the chassis of the vehicle.. Thisconsists of several Vshort sections E of rubber canvas hose, eachmounted on a vertical supporting member E1 bolted to the cross-meni-Yber D of the frame. The vertical supports E1 are further connectedtogether by a horizontal bar E2. In order to provide for the verticaladjustment of this life guard, a series of bolt-holes E3, E4 is providedin each of the supports El so that it may be bolted to the cross-memberD in a number of diii'erent positions nearer' to or further from theground level. Each of the cushions E is provided with aconstrainingplate E5.

In the modification shown in Figure 5, the inclined portion extendingfrom a position just in advance of the wheel to a position beneaththefront axle is replaced by a series vof short cushions B6 arrangedstepwise, Y Y TheA construction' shown Ain Figures 6 and 7, having acushion F', is very similarpto that hereinbefore described withreference to Figuresfl and 2 except thatas applied to a 'rear wheelprovision does not have to be made for any pivotal movement of thewheel. i

. Short cushions may also be employed, one at'each end'of a guard H asseen at G3 in Figure 8, placed between the front and rear wheels of avehicle.

It will be appreciated that each cushion or tube, B, F or G3, providesan underpart of flexible and resilient material with its face near theroad, which under part is connected fore and aft by the continuation ofthe material upwardly to the support or backing-plate B3. The tube thusconstitutes a loop of material whose under-side has a bias downwards sothat it is readily deformable downwardly alonga. line at right-angles tothe direction of travel when impact takes place against the front of thecushion and the said under part is placed near enough to the road and issufficiently deformable, so that when the tube is struck vat the front,the under-face is forced down approximately into contact with the road.The part thus forced down is in the form of a exible fold or tonguewhich obviates or reduces the risk of a portion of the obstacle forexample the hand or part of a persons clothing` from passing beneath thecushion. In the case, however, in which what is first encountered is ofsmall height, such for exand i ample as the hand of a person, thefriction between the rubber surface of the cushion and the hand willserve to brush or sweep the hand ong over the ground until fuller impactoccurs with the person, which full impact is taken by the body of thecushion and results in the person being carried bodily along free fromserious injury.

It has been proposed to use a solid rubber or pneumatic buffer on aspring-carried frame in front of a vehicle wheel, which buffer projectedforwardly .and was suliieiently resilient to enable it to be forced downby the impact of anyebject upon the upper side of it.

It has also been proposed to support a pneumatic tube on a buffer-rod bya bacling-plate extending approximately from the top of the tube down toa point near the bottom of the same, but this buffer-rod was arranged todrop when struck by an obstacle. lVhen the buffer-rod was in the droppedposition the tube formed a downwardly and forwardly projecting loop onthe rod, but being carried on a movable frame and being inflated, itsaction would not be the same as the impact-device according to thepresent invention.

`blo claim is made for either of these two last-described arrangements.

TWhat I claim my invention and desir-e to secure by Letters Patent is 1.A wheel-guard for a vehicle comprisinga support, an impact-cushion offlexible and resilient material having its lower face towards and neartheroad, and means for mounting said impact-cushion on the support such,ft-manner that it is connected thereto fore and aft, saidimpact-cushion being so constructed that it is readily deformabledownwardly along a line at right-angles to the direction of travel byimpact against the front of the cushion, and the proportions of thedeformable parts of the cushion being such relatively to the distance ofthe under face of the same from the read that when the impact againstthe front of the cushion takes place, the said face is drivendownwaix-.s in the forni of a flexible fold or tongue whose lower Vedgeaiugroximately makes contact with the road for the Vpurpose described.

A wheel-guard -for a vehicle cor-.1prisinpr a support, anin'umct-cushion of ficxible and resilient material having its lower'face towards and near the road. and means for mounting saidimpact-cushion on the support in such a manner that it is connectedthereto fore and aft by upwardly-direrted continuations of the support,said impactcushion being so constructed that it is readily deformabledownwardly alongl a line at right-angles to the direction of travel byimpact against the front of the cushion, and the proportions of thedeformable parts vrthat is .readily deformable along a line .atright-angles to the direction Vof travel by impact against the front ofvthe purpose described.

3. A wheel-guard for a vehicle comprising a support, an impact-cushionof flexible and resilient material built up of alternate layers ofrubber and canvas and having its lower face towards and near the road,and means for mounting said impact-cushion on the support in such amanner that it is connected thereto fore and aft.y said impactcushionheilig so constructed that it is readily deformable downwardly along aline at right-angles to the direction of travel by impact against thefront of the cushion, and the proportions of the deformable parts of thecushion being such relatively to the distance of the under face of thesame from the road that when the impact against the front 0f the cushiontakes place, the said face is driven. downwards in the form of aflexible fold or tongue whose lower edge approximately makes Contactwith the road, for the purpose described. l

4L. A wheel-guard for a vehicle comprising aV support, an impact-cushionhaving its lower face towards and near the road, and means for mountingsaid impact-cushion on the support in such a manner that it is connectedthereto fore and aft, said impactcushion being in the form of a loopwhich is downwardly and forwardly directed from the support, is offiexible and resilient material whose underside constitutes a face thatis readily deformable downwardly along a line at right-angles to thedirection of travel by impact against the front of the cushion and thecross-sectional diameter of the loop and the stoutness of the materialcomposing the saine being such that when the impact against the front 0fthe cushion takes place, the said face is driven downwards in the formof a flexible fold or tongue whose lower edge approximately makesContact with the road, for the purpose described.

5. A wheel-guard for a vehicle comprising a support, an impact-cushionhaving its lower face towards and near the road, and means for mountingsaid impact-cushion on the support in such .a manner that it isconnected thereto fore and aft, said impactcushion being inthe form of atube which is downwardly and forwardly directed from the support, is offlexible and resilient niaterial whose underside constitutes a facedownwardly the cushion and the cross-sectional diameter of the tube andthe stoutness of the material .tongueV whose lower edge approximatelymakes contact with the road, for the purpose described 3 6. Awheel-guard for a velncle, compris- VingV animpact cushion inthe formot' a tube, a support having a concave wall constituting a backing forthe tube, and means attaching` one side of said tube to the support insuch a manner that the tube is directed downwardly and forwardly fromthe support so as to have its' lower face situated substantially nearerthe road 'than is the bottom of the support, said backing extending froma 'point approximately halfway up` and behind the' tube towards the topof the same.

7. A wheel-guard fora'vehicle, comprising an impact cushion in the formof a tube, a support having a curved wall constituting a backing for thetube, and means attaching one side of said tube to the sup'- port insuch amanner that the tube is directed downwardly and forwardly from thesupport so as to have Vits lower face situated substantially nearer tothe road than is the bottom ofthe support, said backing extendingupwards Vfrom a point approximately half-wayup and behind the tube, anddownwards from a point below 'the top of the tube. Y Y

8. `A wheel-guard for a vehicle, comprising an impact-device in the formof aY plurality of short sections of open-ended loops, concave supportsfor said sections,V and means for mounting said sectionsagainstthe'concave walls of the supports with their through-way axes atright-angles to the direction of travel of the vehicle, the concavewalls of the supports providing each a backing for a section whichextends from a point approximately half-way up and behind the sectiontowards the top of the same, for the purpose described.

9. A wheel-guard for a vehicle comprising a support, an impact-cushionof flexible and resilient material having its lower face towards andnear the road and formed of friction-producing materia-l,v and means formounting said impact-cushion on the support in such a manner that it isconnected thereto fore and aft, said impact-cushion being so constructedthat it is readily deformable downwardly along a line at rightangles tothe direction of travel by impactY against the front of the cushion, andthe Yproportions of the deformable parts of the cushion being suchrelatively to the distance of the underface of the same from the roadthat when the-impact against the front of the cushion takes place, thesaid face is driven downwards in the form ofV a flexible fold 'or tonguewhose lower edge approximately makes contact witlrthe road, for thepurpose described.

10. A well-guard for avehicle comprising a support, an impact-cushion offlexible and resilient material having its lower face towards and nearthe road and there provided with a rubber friction surface, and meansfor mounting said impact-cushion on the support in such a manner that itis connected thereto fore and aft,- said impactcushion being soconstructed that it is readily deformable downwardly along a line atright-angles to the direction of travel by impact against the front ofthe cushion, and the proportions ofthe deformable parts of the cushionbeing such relatively to vthe distance of the underface of the same fromthe road that when the impact against the front of the cushion takesplace, the said face is driven downwards in the form of a flexible foldor tongue whose lower edge approximately makes contact with the road,for the purpose described.

11. A wheel-guard for a vehicle comprising a support, an impact-cushionin the form of a tube having its lower face towards and near the roadand there provided with a rubber friction surface, and means formounting said impact-cushion on the support lin such a manner that thesupport provides a backing for it which extends from a pointapproximately half way up and behind the tube-,towards the top of thesame, for the purpose described.

12. A wheel-guard for a vehicle comprising an impact-cushion of flexibleand resilient material having its lower face towards and near the road,supports for said cushion to which it is connected fore and aft andwhereby it is carried in front of a steering wheel of the vehicle, saidcushion being so constructed that it readily deformable downwardly alonga line at rightangles to the direction of travel by impact against thefront of the cushion, and the proportions of the deformable parts of thecushion being such relatively to the distance of the underface of thesame from the road that when the impact against the front of the cushiontakes place, the said face is driven downwards in the form of a flexiblefold or tongue whose lower edge approximately makes contact with theroad, andmeans for turning said support in unison with the supports ofthe wheel.

13. A wheel-guard for a vehicle comprising an impact cushion having itslower face towards and near the road, a support for said cushion, meansfor mounting said cushion on the support in such a manner that it isconnected thereto fore and aft and is carried in frontof a steeringwheel of said vehicle, said cushion being in the form of a tube which isdownwardly and forwardly resilient material whose underside constitutesa face which is readily deformable downwardly along a line atright-angles to the'direction of travel by impact against the front ofthe cushion, and the cross-sectional diameter of the tube and thestoutness of the material composing the same being such that when theimpact against the front of the cushion talles place, the said face isdriven downwards in the form of a flexible fold or tongue whose loweredge approximately makes contact with the road, and means for turningsaid support in unison with the steering movements of the wheel.

14. A wheel-guard for two steering wheels of a vehicle comprising foreach wheel an impact-cushion in the form of a tube having its lower facetowards and near the road, a support for each cushion, means formounting said cushion on the support in such a manner that the supportprovides a backing for it which extends from a point at approximatelyhalf way up and behind the tube towards the top of the same, and meansfor turning said supports in unison with Vthe steering movements of thewheels, said cushions being adapted to move yieldingly and independentlyof the wheels toward the centre of the vehicle, for the purposedescribed.

15. A ,wheel-guard for the steering wheel of a vehicle comprising animpact-cushion in the form of a tube having its lower face towards andnear the road, a support for said cushion, means for mounting saidcushion on the support in such a manner that the support provides abacking for it which extends from a point approximately half way up andbehind the tube towards the top of the same, means, including a lug, forsteering the vehicle wheel and resilient means for holding the cushionagainst said lug, which latter is adapted to move the cushion inwardlytowards the centre of the vehicle.

15. fr wheel-guard for two steering wheels of a vehicle comprising foreach wheel an impact-cushion in the form of a tube having its lower facetowards and near the road, a support for each cushion, means formounting said cushion on the support in such a manner that the supportprovides a. backing for it which extends from a point approximately halfway up and behind the tube towards the top of the same, means includinga lug at each side of the vehicle, for steering the vehicle wheel andresilient means connecting the cushions together and holding themagainst said lugs, which lat ter are adapted to move the cushions inwardy towards the centre of the vehicle.

1T. 5r wheel-guard for two steering wheels of a vehicle comprising foreach wheel an impact-cushion of flexible and resilient malthe `trout ofthe cushions takes place, the

said 'l'aces are driven downwards in the lform yof llexible folds ortongues whose lower yedges approximately make contact with the road,means including a lug at feach side of the vehicle7 for steering thevehicle Wheel and resilient means connecting `the cushions together andholding them against saidlugs, which latter are adapted to move thecushions inwardly towards the open-ended transverse flexible tube whichis stiff enough to maintain its shape when not in collision with anobstacle7 a supporting backine plate or the tube, means attaching oneside of the tube to the plate ,in such a manner that the tube isdirecte-d downwardly and forwardly from the vplate with 'its through-wayaxis approximately horizontal and at right angles tothe direction oftravel oit' the vehicle, said plate extending from a point approximatelyhalf way up and behind the tube towards the top of the same, and meansadjustable in height vfrom the ground for mounting said support on avehicle. Y:

In testimonywhereof I aiiix my signa BENJAMIN HOWARD.

' ture.

